2. NICRA & 5 Point Programme

Question 1

When was NICRA set up?

Answer 1

1967

Question 2

Who were the leaders of NICRA

Answer 2

Paddy Devlin, Eamon McCann and Michael Farrell

Question 3

Describe two similarities between the American civil rights march and a NICRA march

Answer 3

• They were peaceful protests

- both marching to end discrimination against marginalised people

Question 4

Name four other reasons for NICRA’s emergence

Answer 4

• Nationalist Party in Stormont weren’t taking action against discrimination
• Support for NICRA came from a new generation of catholics who decided to take action with their growing self confidence and unhappiness with their nationalist party
• MLK jr.’s campaign had employed non-violent methods of civil disobedience in an effort to achieve equal opportunities for black people and this inspired them
• the student demonstrations taking place on France during 1968 were another source of encouragement

Question 5

Name NICRA’s aims (7)

Answer 5

• Achieve one man, one vote
• Ensure the fair allocation of council houses
• End gerrymandering
• Prevent discrimination in the allocation of government jobs
• Remove the Special Powers Act 1922
• Disband the B Specials
• Establish a formal complaints procedure against local authorities to report breaches

Question 6

Name three reasons for opposition against NICRA

Answer 6

• Some felt that it was simply intent on causing trouble and just a front for IRA
• It was only interested in catholic rights rather than rights for all
• others thought that NICRA wanted a United ireland

Question 7

Describe one of NICRA’s marches (4)

Answer 7

March date: 5th October 1968
Reason for March: To highlight seeming inequalities in Londonderry Corporations housing policy.
Stormont/RUC reaction to March: the Stormont government banned the holding or any march east of the River Foyle or within the historic city walls because the Unionist Apprentice Boys were threatening to countermarch
Outcome of March: Crowd was relatively small but four Westminster MPS and an RTE camera crew appeared at the March, showing the world the heavy-handed tactics of the police to break up the rally

Question 8

What did the marches show?

Answer 8

The March showed that the Stormont/RUC Police used heavy handed tactics and that NI was on the verge of a crisis which they were not resolving

Question 9

Influences for NICRA (2)

Answer 9

• student demonstrations that took place in France during 1968
• Martin Luther King ‘ s campaign had employed non violent methods of civil disobedience in an effort to achieve equal opportunities

Question 10

Nationalist reactions to NICRA’s emergence (2)

Answer 10

• New Generation of catholic’s supported them because of their unhappiness with their own Nationalist Party
• the growing self-confidence of Catholic’s elsewhere, e.g USA where JFK had been elected as president in 1960

Question 10

Liberal Protestant reactions to NICRA (2)

Answer 10

• Sympathised with some of NICRA’s demands

- Believed making NI fairer would undermine demands for a United Ireland

Question 11

Where else did support come from for NICRA ?

Answer 11

Communists, academics and trade unionists

Question 12

On what date were the 5 Point reforms issued?

Answer 12

22nd November 1968

Question 13

The Reforms (5)

Answer 13

• the allocation of council housing on a points system
• the replacement of Londonderry Corporation by a development commission
• the removal of parts of the Special Powers Act
• Reforms within local governments, including the ending of extra votes for business owners
• the appointment of an ombudsman to investigate complaints

Question 14

Two NICRA aims not granted

Answer 14

• Achieve ‘one man, one vote’

- Disband the B specials

Question 15

NICRA reactions to reforms (2)

Answer 15

The protests and counter-protests continued. The People’s Democracy formed

Question 16

Reactions of unionists to the 5 Point Reform Programme (2)

Answer 16

• Reforms caused dismay.

- They opposed concessions to the threat of violence and now felt their position was under threat

Question 17

Reaction within O’Neills party to the programme (2)

Answer 17

• Home Affairs Minister William Craig condemned his speech to appeal to nationalists
• He argued he was acting under pressure from the British

Question 18

Why did NICRA not support the reforms ?

Answer 18

They believed that O’Neills five point programme had a ‘limited nature’

Question 19

How did O’Neill try to win NICRA over

Answer 19

He appealed to NICRA’s leaders to help restore calm to the province by questioning them on the future of NI.

Question 20

Effectiveness of NICRA (2)

Answer 20

• Announcement of the Five Point Reform Programme suggests some of NICRA’s aims had been achieved
• Emergence of the People’s Democracy suggests that not everyone was satisfied